This invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing patterned glass products. In particular, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing patterned glass products having an appearance similar to or simulating the appearance of glue chipped glass or antique glass.
Glue chipped glass is known in the art. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,729, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Conventionally, glue chipped glass is manufactured as follows. The manufacturer typically does not have glass making capability and thus begins with an annealed sheet of glass. The manufacturer then lightly roughens a surface of the glass sheet (e.g., via sand blasting). After the surface has been roughened, a solution of glue is applied on the roughened surface of the glass to a prescribed thickness (e.g., via spraying). Typically, the glue may consist of a common animal protein gelatin which may be purchased in dry powder form and mixed into solution form prior to application. Optionally, the glue may be preheated depending upon the effect desired, as heat and moisture both contribute to the appearance to the final product.
After the glue has been applied to the roughened surface, the glue is oven dried (i.e., heat dried). Optionally, following oven drying, the glue coated glass may be permitted to air dry. As the glass dries, it begins to form crystals which peel or xe2x80x9cchipxe2x80x9d away from the glass surface. Chipping is allowed to continue for a prescribed period of time, after which any remaining chips are simply brushed from the surface. The end result is a cut or chipped glass pattern as shown in FIG. 1, which resembles somewhat that of a fossil pattern (i.e., glue-chipped glass). The resulting product is esthetically attractive and has numerous applications in interior decorating, and the like.
Unfortunately, in the glue chipped glass manufacturing process described above the pattern of crystal growth cannot be controlled. To the contrary, the pattern is essentially random. Thus, the aforesaid process cannot be utilized to produce large quantities of glue chipped glass products in accurately duplicated patterns.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,729 discloses a method and apparatus for manufacturing glue chipped glass, as shown in FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 2, the apparatus of the ""729 patent includes a pair of rollers 1 and 3, defining nip 5 therebetween. Glue is fed through manifold 7 and exits the manifold at a desired thickness 9. Rollers 1 and 3 cause the glue 11 to be deposited on the roughened surface of glass 13. Conveyor 15 conveys the glass 13 below nip 5 whereafter the glass is conveyed to an oven where the glue is dried and chips off the glass.
Unfortunately, the system and apparatus of the ""729 patent are undesirable for one or more of the following reasons. First, the requirement for the glue is burdensome and can be messy in certain manufacturing environments. Second, the time and structure required for the drying process is undesirable. Third, the structure and time required for the sweeping away of and collection of glue chips is undesirable. Fourth, the glue chipped pattern cannot practically be repeated on a regular basis in an accurate manner.
xe2x80x9cAntique glassxe2x80x9d is known in the art as glass having random striations running generally therethrough in random directions/angles. U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,030 discloses a method of making antique glass. In particular, the ""030 Patent uses a xe2x80x9crakexe2x80x9d positioned downstream of a furnace in order to form the striations in the glass when the glass is still in a somewhat soft state.
Unfortunately, the method of making antique glass described in the ""030 Patent relies upon the rake to impose the striations into the glass. This is undesirable in that the rake is subject to breaking, and often cannot enable a uniform pattern to be formed in the glass in an efficient manner over long periods of time. Use of the rake of the ""030 Patent is also undesirable in that it is difficult to control the depth of the striations formed in the glass thereby.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that there exists a need in the art for addressing and/or solving any one or more of the aforesaid problems in the manufacture of a glass sheet having a look similar to conventional glue-chipped glass or antique glass.
An object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing patterned glass sheets.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing glass sheets having at least one pattern thereon in a manner so as to simulate either (i) a glue chipped type glass sheet, or (ii) an antique glass sheet.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method which enables a repeatable pattern that simulates a glue chipped type or antique type glass sheet to be repeatedly applied to a surface of a ribbon of glass in a consistent manner.
Another object of this invention is to satisfy and/or fulfill one or more of the aforesaid objects and/or needs.
Certain example embodiments of this invention fulfill one or more of the above-listed objects and/or needs by providing a method of manufacturing patterned glass sheets having a visual appearance simulating an appearance of antique glass, the method comprising: providing a furnace or melter; providing first and second opposing rollers which define a nip therebetween, and providing at least one of the first and second rollers with an antique glass pattern comprising a plurality of intersecting ridges of different lengths defined in an exterior surface thereof, wherein at least some of the ridges intersect one another at angles of from about 5-80 degrees; a ribbon of glass exiting the furnace or melter and proceeding toward the nip; the ribbon of glass reaching the nip between the first and second rollers at a temperature of from about 1,900-2,4000xc2x0 F.; forming an antique pattern in at least one surface of the glass ribbon in the nip, by causing the antique glass pattern to be transferred from the at least one roller to the ribbon of glass; the patterned glass ribbon exiting the nip; annealing the patterned glass ribbon after the ribbon has left the nip; and cutting the patterned glass ribbon into a plurality of sheets which simulate antique glass sheets from a visual perspective.
Certain other example embodiments of this invention fulfill one or more of the above listed objects and/or needs by providing a patterned glass sheet aesthetically resembling a conventional antique glass sheet, the patterned glass sheet comprising: a sheet of glass including first and second opposing major surfaces; a pattern simulating a conventional antique pattern defined in at least one of said first and second major surfaces of said sheet of glass; wherein said pattern includes a plurality of intersecting striations (e.g., grooves) of different lengths formed by a pattern roller and defined in said surface of said sheet, said striations being formed of glass; and wherein certain of said striations intersect others of the striations in a manner such that the pattern simulates a conventional antique pattern.
This invention will now be described with respect to certain embodiments thereof, accompanied by certain illustrations.